UNC Honor Student With Cerebral Palsy Receives Recovery For Defective Adaptive Van

A young UNC college student who was born with cerebral palsy with no use of her legs and only limited use of her arms dreamed of operating her own vehicle. Although confined to a wheelchair, this UNC honor student lived with a roommate, traveled and was independent on the UNC campus. When she was medically cleared to learn to drive an adapted vehicle, she began training with an adaptive van. The adaptive van malfunctioned and ran off the road colliding with trees severely breaking her legs. Martin & Jones filed suit against the adaptive van manufacturer and presented experts from Massachusetts and Florida who explained the problem with the adaptive van that caused it to run off the road.

Martin & Jones was able to settle her case for $725,000.00, which allowed her to replace her van and complete her education. She obtained a doctorate degree in psychology, and she now works as a clinical psychologist counseling people in need.

(Cases or matters referenced do not represent the law firm’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its owns merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results. Unless otherwise specified, each of the following matters was contested on liability and/or damages, the opposing parties were represented, the matters involved complex legal and/or factual issues, and the law firm was successful in collecting the amounts stated. Case summaries are from 2000 through the present.)